"John Banks is one of the UK's most prolific audiobook narrators, working for the likes of Big Finish, Audible, Random House and Games Workshop.

He is a true multi-voice, creating everything from monsters to marauding aliens.

He is also an accomplished stage and TV actor."

audible.co.uk 2018

Soul Wars

Hello...

...I'm John Banks - welcome to my website. The majority of my working life has been spent in the theatre with companies including York Theatre Royal, Cheltenham Everyman, Sheffield Crucible, Bristol Old Vic, Manchester Royal Exchange and the National Theatre in London.

Television work includes Emmerdale, Coronation Street, and 'Allo, Allo!'. I have also worked on a number of radio drama and comedy productions with the BBC.Since March 2009, I have enjoyed playing a huge variety of characters in more than 250* audio-drama stories with Big Finish Productions, together with The Black Library/Games Workshop, details of which can be found in the postings below.

There are also details listed here of the 165* audio books I've recorded since March 2013, including the unabridged New Revised Standard Version of The Bible, for companies including audible.co.uk, Hachette, HarperCollins, RNIB, W.F. Howes, Little Brown Group, Penguin Random House, Games Workshop, Orion, Fantom Films & Ladbroke Audio.

(*figures at April 2019)

I hope you find something of interest here and come back soon for further updates.

For all posts, reviews and audio samples, please scroll down...

Blood of The Old World

Games Workshop

The Moggotkin of Nurgle

Released June 2019...

Released January 2019...

Released January 2019...

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Saturday, 27 October 2018

And as a brief adjunct to today's main posting, I would briefly like to mention the recent release of the complete series of Waaagh! audio dramas. Here are some details:

Prophets of Waaagh!

An Orks audio drama

Dumped on a nowhere world by the opening of the Cicatrix Maledictum, the Red Sunz Mek mob battle to survive.

When a call to Waaagh! rings out
across the planet, the chance at survival, as well as some shooty-fun,
beckons. But all is not what it seems. Only an ork with real orky
know-wots can hope to overcome the False Waaagh…!

Good afternoon! After another busy week in the studio, recording four audio dramas, it's back to audio books for the next couple of weeks; two books to record by the second week of November, which, relatively, seems to be quite a calm schedule.

A few days ago, this short audio drama, 'Lermentov' below, was released and having now heard it a couple of times, I must say that I'm very pleased with the way it's turned out. David Seddon does a magnificent job of articulating Lermentov's tremendously difficult moral position and Matt Renshaw was a very reassuring and expert director, in this short, but complex drama. I hope you enjoy it.

I was delighted to discover that by the second day after it's release, it stood at number 4 in the I-tunes Top Sci-Fi and Fantasy chart - always good to know that a piece of work has gone down well and my congratulations go to all involved. I was deeply impressed by the sound design and would love to credit whoever did it; alas, I don't yet know who it was, but will certainly update here just a soon as I find out.

Here are some details:

The Interrogation Of Salvor Lermatov

A Vaults of Terra audio drama

Captured by the Inquisition, can the self-styled freedom fighter Salvor
Lermentov convince the formidable Inquisitor Crowl to spare his life and
take him into the Inquisition's service?

Salvor Lermentov, Astra Militarum officer turned would-be freedom
fighter, languishes in a dark cell deep within an Inquisition fortress.
Captured for the crime of treachery, he is sure of his innocence – for
did he not aid a servant of the Inquisition in preventing a grievous
threat to Terra itself?

As he and Inquisitor Crowl match wits in an
interrogation, Lermentov outlines his reasons for deserting – but
Inquisitor Crowl knows darker truths about the Imperium of Man, and with
them in mind, can he possibly allow this traitor to live?

Should this story whet your appetite for more of Lermentov & Crowl, they also feature in Chris Wraight's The Carrion Throne, which I recorded as an audio book just over a year ago. Here are some details of that release too:

In the hellish
sprawl of Imperial Terra, Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor Erasmus Crowl serves
as a stalwart and vigilant protector, for even the Throneworld is not
immune to the predations of its enemies.

In the course of his
Emperor-sworn duty, Crowl becomes embroiled in a dark conspiracy, one
that leads all the way to the halls of the Imperial Palace. As he
plunges deeper into the shadowy underbelly of the many palace districts,
his investigation attracts the attention of hidden forces, and soon he
and his acolyte Spinoza are being hunted – by heretics, xenos, servants
of the Dark Powers, or perhaps even rival elements of the Inquisition
itself.

Soon they discover a terrible truth, one that if allowed to get
out could undermine the very fabric of the Imperium itself.

Written by Chris Wraight, Produced by Matt Renshaw & Narrated by John Banks

Ultramarines

Psychic Awakening

Warcry: Death or Glory

Warhammer 40,000

Flight. Redefined.

Reviews & comments:

The Malazan Empire

Over the course of this 8 book series, the amazing John Banks has had to create and voice 648 distinct characters!

Neil Gardner - producer

The Door In The Wall & War of The Worlds

Not often I buy another version of an audiobook I own, but after hearing John Banks' narration of The Door in the Wall by Ladbroke Audio, I had to buy their version of The War of the Worlds. Banks has a great reading voice.

Andy Frankham-Allen - writer

The Books of Babel: Senlin Ascends, Arm of The Sphinx & The Hod King

Mr. Banks does superb work, and I recommend the audiobooks wholeheartedly!

Josiah Bancroft - writer

Mervyn Stone: The Axeman Cometh

John Banks is a voice genius...

Nev Fountain - writer

Mervyn Stone... played by the note-perfect John Banks.

Matt Hills - Reviews in Time and Space

Dr. Who: The Sleeping City

I also must draw attention to John Banks who is an exceptional voice artist and in this one story performs more characters that I can count. ... it is listening to episodes like this one that really do let his talents shine through.

Tony Jones - Red Rocket Rising

Highlander:

...playing several parts, was the brilliant Big Finish regular John Banks - it was as if there were about 40 different actors in the other booth.

James Moran - writer

I went for the best of the best and brought in voice artiste extraordinaire John Banks.

Paul Spragg - producerVienna:

...also features the mind - bogglingly versatile and reliable John Banks

Jonathan Morris - writer

Dead Funny:

The acting is first rate… wonderfully played by John Banks as Richard – his impersonation of Eric Morecambe is worth the admission money alone.

Beverly Greenberg: Bolton Evening NewsMr. Happiness:

This early and unfamiliar play by David Mamet is a character study of a 1930s radio counsellor, dispensing suave advice to his devoted listeners. John Banks brings out the wry comedy of this – comedy quite unappreciated by the character – with a clever range of gesture and vocal tone.

Jeremy Kingston: The Times

All My Sons:

This is a beautifully crafted piece ...and it affords a wonderful opportunity for John Readman* to do his All-American Boy act as Chris Keller. This most polished and well observed performance as the blighted son of a blighted father must rank as one of his finest accomplishments yet. ( * see Profile)The Stage

The Ordeals of Sherlock Holmes

Kudos should also go to John Banks.Lestrade can be a thankless part, but Banks rose to the challenge, playing a pivotal role in this decades long arc.

Raissa Devereux - SciFiPulseThe Judgement of Sherlock HolmesJohn Banks is multi-tasking, both as the superb Lestrade and also the villainous and no doubt moustache twirling Sebastian Moran. They sound completely different and I bow to his talent.Sue Davies - SFcrowsnest

Further reviews and comments are included with specific postings throughout the site.